Citrix, a leader in thin client computing, has been looking for what they call their "Nirvana Phone". The Nirvana Phone would help create a full desktop environment using a phone as the brain. With the release of the iPhone 4, they believe they may finally have the device they've been looking for.
Citrix is a company with a long history. They pioneered the technologies that led to what we know today as "remote desktop" and other desktop sharing technologies. Some of their more well-known products include GoToMeeting and GoToTraining, which both allow for multiple people to share a single computer.
One of Citrix's long-term focuses has been "thin computing." Thin computing is where a server or group of servers create the equivalent of hundreds or thousands of virtual PCs. These virtual PCs are then used by people using web browser plug-ins, client software or dumb terminals. This allows corporations to cut costs while standardizing users' software and computing environment. An employee of a company who uses Citrix technology would see the same desktop and applications whether they used a computer in Seattle, Stuttgart, or Stockholm.
What Citrix wants to create with their "Nirvana Phone" is the ability to take that same standardized environment wherever you go. By connecting a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and plugging in a monitor, Citrix can use the iPhone's memory, CPU and internet access to connect to the Citrix servers and then render a full desktop environment. Sites like Dropbox and Box.net provide the ability to store and retrieve files from just about anywhere. Google Docs and Office Online provide online document editing in much the same way. However, none of those solutions provide a full computing environment. Citrix's project would give users that full computing environment, complete with all of their documents, applications and customizations no matter where they are. To see how this works, check out the following video:
While the iPhone isn't a complete PC in your pocket, it sounds like combining the device with Citrix's software might make it just that.
[Source: Engadget.com]
Citrix, a leader in thin client computing, has been looking for what they call their "Nirvana Phone" that helps create a full desktop environment, using a phone as the brain. With the release of the iPhone 4, they believe they may finally have the device they've been looking for.
